A volcano on Indonesia’s Flores Island erupted on Wednesday, sending a plume of ash and smoke two kilometres high into the sky. The eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, which means “husband” in the local language, was the latest in a series of volcanic activities that have been occurring on the mountain since late December.
The Indonesian authorities raised the alert level for the volcano to the highest level, indicating a possible major eruption. They also issued an evacuation order for residents living within a five-kilometre radius of the crater. “The communities are urged to immediately evacuate to safe points to avoid hot ash (from the volcano),” local official Benediktus Bolibapa Herin stated.
According to Herin, about 5,000 people have been moved to two temporary shelters set up by the local government. He said that the evacuees were provided with food, water, masks, and blankets. He also said that the authorities were monitoring the situation closely and coordinating with the national disaster management agency.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki is one of the two peaks of Mount Lewotobi, which is located on the eastern tip of Flores Island. The other peak, Mount Lewotobi Perempuan, which means “wife”, has not shown any signs of activity. The last major eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki occurred in 2003, when it spewed lava and ash for several days.